Melbourne Airport (also known as Tullamarine Airport) lies 23km north of the city centre. It's a large, sometimes overstretched airport, and there have been reports of long waits at international Arrivals and customs.
There are four terminals, laid out counter-clockwise and connected to each other in one large building, with Departures on the first floor, Arrivals on the ground floor:
Terminal 1: Domestic flights (Qantas and Jetstar). Qantas operates several business lounges here. Many shops and restaurants are located near the entrance to Terminal 2.
Terminal 2: International flights. There are several business lounges here, operated by different airlines.
Terminal 3: Domestic flights (Virgin Australia and Regional Express Airlines (REX)). There are two business lounges here, operated by Melbourne Airport and REX.
Terminal 4: Budget domestic flights (Tiger Airways, soon to include REX and Jetstar). A small terminal with fewer facilities than the others.
All terminals are connected by landside walkways on the departures floor.
There's unfortunately no rail connection to Melbourne Airport, which means journey times into the city can range from 20 minutes to 60 in heavy traffic. The airport buses run regularly, are comfortable and offer free Wi-Fi.
Bus
The SkyBus service operates every 10-15 minutes, 24 hours a day. Be aware that departures are only every 30 minutes from 00:00-04:00. The journey to Southern Cross Station in the Central Business District (CBD) takes 20 minutes (30 or more during peak times).
Cost: AUD 18 one-way Buying tickets: Online or at ticket boths in Terminals 1 and 3 Location: Terminals 1 and 3, outsideArrivals
Free hotel transfers
From Southern Cross Station, SkyBus offers a free SkyBus Hotel Transfer Service to selected hotels in the city: https://www.skybus.com.au/free-hotel-transfer-service/participating-hotels/. The service operates Mon-Fri, 06:00-22:30 and Sat-Sun, 07:30-17:30. You can check in at the Hotel Transfer Service booth in the airport. When leaving Melbourne, ask your concierge to call SkyBus to reserve a pick-up time.
Taxi
A taxi can be slightly quicker than the bus, and may be worth it if you're travelling in a group with a lot of luggage. Journey time is 20-40 minutes.
Cost: AUD 55-65 (including airport fee on departure) Location: Ranks outside all terminals, ground floor
Public transport
You will pay a lot less to take a local bus (901 SmartBus) into the city, but the journey time can be as much as 1-1.5 hours.
Cost: AUD 6 one-way Location: Outside Terminal 1, Zone K, Public Transport Victoria (PTV) bus stop
The ParkRoyal Melbourne Airport is a 276-room hotel with direct pedestrian access to Terminals 2 and 3. Facilities include an on-site gym and 12-metre swimming pool, restaurant, bar, and café. The hotel also has a whole floor dedicated to business facilities with meeting and conference space.
Rooms start at AUD 250 per night.
Day use rooms are also available from AUD 79 for 3 hours, AUD 99 for 5 hours, and AUD 129 for 8 hours.
To arrive at the hotel, exit the airport near the Tourist Information/Lost Property desk of Terminal 2 and walk across the street to the car rental offices. The hotel is located inside this complex.
Travellers have frequently reported being double charged for short- and long-term parking at Melbourne Airport. If you pay online for parking, you have to use your credit card to enter the facilities. Upon exiting, we suggest showing your receipt to a parking attendant to let you out to avoid being charged again.
If you’re looking for a way to pass the time on a layover, head to the Melbourne Airport Golf Club. It’s located just 25-minutes away from the airport and is adjacent to the airport runway. It’s a par-70 course that puts you below the flight path of Melbourne Airport planes at the 16th hole. Green fees on weekdays are AUD 17.50 for 9 holes and AUD 24.50 for 18 holes. Weekends are AUD 19.50 and AUD 27.50.
There are two shower facilities located near the toilet area on the Departures level of Terminal 2. One is landside, near Nando’s and the other is airside, past the Duty Free shops. Towels and toiletries can be purchased from WHSmith and Rolling Luggage before security in Terminal 2 departures. There is no cost to use the shower facilities.
Our app wouldn't have won the Crystal Cabin Award for "Best Customer Journey" if it wasn't for all of our users' valuable feedback and constant support.
No matter whether you are travelling for business, leisure or you work at an airport, we could always use airport intel to help make our app even better and improve things for travellers all over the world!
Share your experience with us by sending an email to feedback@flio.com with any hints, tips or general information on any airport.
Whether it’s a long layover, a flight delay, or just the will to enjoy the infrastructure of a beautiful hotel, Dayuse.com invites you to book a day stay at one of our hotels located in the immediate proximity of the airport.
How does it work:
1/ Review the hotels available around the airport & the services they offer (spa, swimming pool, fitness, restaurant, and so on) 2/ Check their time slot availabilities (arrival & departure time within one day) 3/ Book your hotel and receive your confirmation 4/ Pay only at the check in 5/ Cancel at no cost until last minute
